


Divided

by grumpling



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-04-22 18:52:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4846514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grumpling/pseuds/grumpling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It's all Tyche's fault."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jason didn’t want to die. Especially not at the hands of Piper. In a blaze of glory maybe, but probably not by his girlfriend. The look she was giving him was one part hot, two parts terrifying: her kaleidoscope eyes were dark and zeroed in on his, her hand resting too close to her dagger for comfort. Next to her, Annabeth, the most fearsome girl he’d ever met, looked like a puppy, bickering with Percy about a picnic. Jason would have done anything to be anywhere else right now, anywhere but opposite a fuming Piper in a very small room surrounded by his battle-hardened friends, who all happened to love Piper. The fact they were all snacking on easy-cheese and crackers made them no less powerful or terrifying. If they did suddenly pounce, Jason wouldn’t have been surprised. He’d lemoned pretty bad. It hadn’t been entirely his fault though. Mostly, but not all.

“Okay, so, this camp defence…thing,” Connor Stoll asked through a mouthful of cracker. “Why?”

“To protect the camp, duh.” Annabeth chided, rolling her eyes.

“No but, like, why do we need it? What’s wrong with what we already have?”

“It’s outdated.” Jason sighed, tapping his fingers on the table, trying to come up with the least offensive way to break it to them that their defence beyond the magical barrier was rubbish. “If, uh, if a monster showed up on the tail of a new kid that was just a little too good, it would break the defence and, let’s be real, we don’t want anything like that wondering around the borders.”

Clarisse looked more than mildly offended. Jason shifted uncomfortably in his chair as she sat forward. She was meaner and greener than he was, easy. Her dark eyes were trained on his and he swore he could hear her knuckles crack. “We could take anything. No problem. You saying we can’t? Huh?”

Jason swallowed and shook his head. “No, no. All I’m saying is that we could make our tactics so much more fool proof if we employ more military tactics. To ensure safety. Hundred percent.”

Will Solace leaned over to Clarisse and whispered something in her ear. Jason guessed that if anyone else tried that, they’d be shish-kebabed on her spear. Clarisse opened her mouth to reply, but instead growled and sat back in her chair. She was still staring at him.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with what we have; I’m just saying that it could be made better? With bonus Roman tactics?” Being praetor of an entire legion was easier than talking to a room of twenty-two Greek demigods and a stuffed leopard (which had made an almost permanent home in the rec. room). Jason expected Piper at least to be on his side, but she was sat, arms folded, looking at him with an expression of pure _ugh_.

“Are you trying Romanize us?” Frankie Faust, son of Tyche, demanded. Frankie had had a personal vendetta against Jason since he’d beaten him on the climbing wall and had most definitely ensured enough bad luck to actually kill him. His Vegas-neon blue eyes were boring into his with such venom that Jason was certain he’d have bad luck for the next three life times.

“Of course not!” He insisted. He looked over at Piper, for reassurance. No reassurance happened. Instead, she shook her head, smiling apologetically. That could mean one of two things: they were in the wrong, or he was. Jason guessed it was the latter. It was usually the latter. Unexpectedly, the reassurance came from Percy.

“I mean, it’s not a bad idea. You’re never gonna know when we need a little extra something. Plus the Romans knew the game. That’s gotta count for something, right?” Annabeth didn’t seem to like that. She elbowed him.

“Jace… you are trying to Romanise us…” Piper cooed. Intentional or not, everything went downhill from there.

Piper’s words seemed heavy, a little too heavy. Jason found himself nodding, confidently. The charmspeak must have been an accident, but nevertheless, everyone in the room noticed him nod. Frankie loved it. He looked smugger than Clarisse (a feat only he could achieve). The mood in the room changed dramatically. The crackers were put down.

“Hang on, what?! Jace!” Piper demanded, sitting up. It seemingly hadn’t dawned on her that she’d accidentally turned on the charmspeak. She looked angry, sad and confused all at once, an expression she only brought out when something went wrong on her favourite show, or when a giant ruined her day.

Jason shook his head, confused. He’d done something very wrong, again. He could feel his face heating up, which didn’t normally happen when speaking in front of others; only when he knew he’d messed up. All eyes were on him, which didn’t help. Percy looked scared for him, Annabeth was a knife edge between confusion and anger, Clarisse was quietly seething and Frankie was smirking.

“N-no. That’s not what I meant… you—I, uh…” Jason was pretty sure his face was screaming HELP, but no one chipped in to help. Piper still looked disappointed, which really didn’t help matters. It made his chest ache. "I don’t want to Romanise the camp, that’s—that’s not what I meant… I just meant—“

“We’re obviously not Roman enough for his Lordship's tastes,” Frankie sneered. Jason wanted to run, which wasn’t usual for him as a former Praetor of Rome. Not even Octavian had managed to do that to him, but he hated, more than anything, to disappoint people. And he’d managed to do just that. He’d managed to disappoint Piper.

“I bet you wish we were a legion, all disciplined and under your control.” Frankie continued, watching with satisfaction as Jason’s face got redder and redder. “I bet you wish Piper was more like Reyna.” That wasn’t true. He loved Piper just as she was.

Jason had lost control of the others and he was fighting not to lose control of himself. He wanted to cry, but Jason Grace didn’t cry. Jason Grace was a leader who people looked up to, not someone who let people like Frankie wind him up to busting point. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, but Piper spoke first.

“Is that true?” Jason couldn’t quite put his finger on the emotion in her voice, but he knew it wasn’t happiness or even humour of any description.

“Of course it is!” Frankie definitely wasn’t helping anything.

“It’s not, even remotely. You’re perfect just as you are, as a Greek.” Jason felt like he was digging a hole. He probably was, and he definitely wouldn’t be getting out of it anytime soon.

Piper scoffed. “As a greek?! Would I be better as Roman?” Anger. The look she was giving him was definitely anger. Her eyes were dark. Next to her, Percy winced.

“No, no no. No. That’s—“

“Exactly what he meant. Obviously.” Frankie cut in. Nico, who’d had the unfortunate displeasure of being sat next him, silenced him with a sharp elbow to the ribs.

“Shut up!” Nico hissed, and Frankie did. Everyone, even the biggest ass in the camp, listened to the son of Hades, for fear of being skeletoned or something. Jason thanked him silently before returning his attention back to Piper.

Sure Reyna was brilliant and a good friend, but she had nothing on Piper, whose hair was always braided with a bright blue harpy feather and whose eyes sparkled with humour at every mistake Jason made. However, they weren’t sparkling now. They were glowing with anger. Annabeth was glancing back and forth between her and Jason anxiously. “You think I should be more like Reyna, don’t you! More brave and strong, right?”

“No!” Jason didn’t know whether to be angry or sad. He was just confused. He’d never messed up this bad before. Why was this happening? What was wrong with him? “You’re a daughter of Aphrodite! You couldn’t be any more perfect!” He hoped against hope that’d appease her. If anything, it probably made everything a shade worse.

“Wait, I’m a daughter of Aphrodite, therefore I’m perfect? Is that it?” Her voice was level and definitely offended.

“That’s—no, not what I meant! Sorry, I just mean that… never mind.” Jason wanted to run into the forest, straight to bunker 9 and bury himself under a pile of Leo’s scrap metal and blueprints.

“Y’know, Jace… sometimes I wish I could be like Reyna. Everything you want in a person. Maybe you’d appreciate me more, or something.” That couldn’t have been less true, he loved that Piper was nothing like Reyna, it made her so easy to be with.

The room was completely silent and all eyes were on him again. Clarisse was cracking her knuckles, as if she could sense the next move he made. It was really off-putting.

“That’s not true,” Jason said quietly, but Piper looked like she’d lost all hope. She stood up, staring at him.  
Jason once again looked at Percy for help, but he was watching the whole scene through his hands. Piper took a slow breath, picking up her dagger and looking at it. Jason thought for sure she’d be sheathing it somewhere in him.

“I’m sorry, Jason.” She spat, before plunged the blade straight into the table, an inch from his hands. It sunk further into the Ping-Pong table than Jason thought possible, a web of fine cracks appeared and the entire surface shuddered. Then Piper walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Annabeth looked at Percy apologetically before following her. Katie Gardner untangled herself from Travis, looking worried and ran out behind Annabeth. Tori, from Nike, and Sandy, from Hebe followed suit. Clarisse joined them, but not before shooting Jason a look that screamed _watch your back_. Jason gulped.

The room was silent and still hung with tension, until Frankie started slowly clapping. “Oh, well done, genius!”

Jason didn’t reply. He just looked at Percy, who gave the Stolls the signal to get rid of the blonde idiot. They obliged happily, dragging Frankie to the door, then dramatically kicking him out of the room. They high-fived triumphantly, like they’d always wanted to do that. To be honest, probably everyone did.

Jason’s face was still hot and his throat was tight. He felt like an idiot. He _was_ an idiot.

“Jace?” Nico’s voice shook him from his thoughts. He sounded concerned and pitiful. “Are you okay?”

“Not really,” Jason exhaled slowly, staring at the knife stuck in the ping-pong table. He rested his head in his hands, his eyes burning.

And Jason Grace cried, unafraid of judgement. Tears of frustration, anger, confusion and disappointment in himself. No one laughed, or even sniggered. They just glanced around at each in silence, just as confused as he was.


	2. Chapter 2

Jason thought he’d gotten his demigod nightmares under control. Nope. After finally falling asleep, all he could see was Piper, walking arm in arm with Aphrodite, swanning down the cobbled street of some Greek city. Piper looked incredible, dressed in a beautiful, white ancient Greek chiton, all decked out in gold bracelets and small blue gems. A golden laurel was resting delicately on her coiled and braided hair. Her eyes glittered with amusement and she was laughing at some witticism Aphrodite was so obviously full of. She looked like a queen, even more so than usual. 

Behind Piper, Drew Tanaka led the rest of Aphrodite cabin. They all wore beautiful white dresses, cinched at the waist with thin belts. Their hair was braided with pink myrtle flowers, crowned with simple silver circlets, like the one Thalia wore. 

Worst of all, behind them, walked Clarisse and Annabeth, both of whom were wearing leather breastplates adorned with depictions of a maiden defeating a goddess in an explosion of silver. Between them walked Katie, holding a bouquet of roses, anenomies and narcissi. Her arms were bound with golden snakes, each with ruby eyes that glittered menacingly in the roasting sunlight.

Annabeth and Clarisse both gripped their weapons like they were expecting an attack. Seeing how fierce they looked, Jason didn’t think anyone would be stupid enough to anyway. He was wrong, again. 

“Piper!” A voice, his voice, came from behind the parade. There he was, standing square behind them, holding a rose. He was filthy, wearing a ragged chiton and no sandals, with dirt smeared all across his skin. He’d even looked better after defeating Krios and razing the titan palace, although his ancient Greek self was covered in less blood, which was good. What wasn’t so good was the slightly fractured look in his eyes. He was gripping the rose like a sword, ready to attack.

The entourage stopped. The phrase what an idiot came instantly to mind as Clarisse and Annabeth turned, raising their weapons. 

“I wish to see Piper! I need to see Piper!” Jason (the idiot) demanded. 

“Our Queen doesn’t wish to see you.” Katie said gently, waving away Annabeth’s sword and walking towards him. Idiot Jason didn’t back down. 

“It’s important!” He sounded close to falling to his knees and begging. Which would have been a new low for him. “I have to apologize,” 

“Put your weapon down.” Jason thought Clarisse was intimidating normally but when in a nothing but a draughty potato sack at the mercy of her spear, she’s pee-your-pants-then-faint terrifying. 

Wait, what weapon? Jason thought, but then he looked again at his idiot-self and the rose had morphed into a sword. A long, wickedly sharp sword, which he was brandishing at Clarisse. Ah, that one.

“Do you have a death wish?” Annabeth quipped coolly, cocking an eyebrow. Clarisse snickered, advancing ever so slightly on Idiot Jason. 

“To see Piper.” He said, remarkably calm considering he was about to be eviscerated by a very large girl holding a very large spear. 

“What if Piper doesn’t want to see you?” A voice clear as crystal chimed. Annabeth and Clarisse parted and Aphrodite stepped between them, face twisted into a cruel smirk. “She doesn’t even want to look at you, Jason. She doesn’t like you. It’s all your fault. You are a useless idiot, Jason Edward Grace.” 

Behind her came a short laugh. Piper’s laugh. 

Idiot Jason raised his sword, his knuckles white as he tightened his grip. Aphrodite raised her hand and everything went black. 

*

“Jason,” he heard a voice whisper somewhere near his head. 

“Jason!” A slightly more aggressively urgent hiss.

“Jason!” Someone shouted, clicking their fingers over his face. 

He sat bolt upright, sweating and breathing heavily. His head collided with something hard, something hard that cussed like a sailor. After a moment, the fogginess in his eyes cleared and Jason saw a blurry Percy bent double, clutching his head. 

“Ow. Zeus’… mooses! Jason, what the hades!?” Percy hissed. Jason hastily pushed on his glasses to see Percy’s bloody nose. 

“Sorry, bro.” He mumbled, brushing his damp hair from his face. “Don’t bleed on my comforter.” 

“Really?” Percy rolled his eyes, clutching his dripping nose. “Yes Jason, I’m fine, thanks for asking!” 

Jason sighed, pushing the sarcastically gesturing Percy to one side as he got up, trying to shake Aphrodite’s words from his mind. He pulled on the nearest shirt, an old Camp Jupiter number, and headed to the door, hoping his breakfast waffles would take his mind off the glaring fact that Piper hated him.


	3. Chapter 3

Breakfast waffles didn't work. If anything, they made things worse. From where Jason sat at the Zeus table, he had a clear view of the Aphrodite table, where Piper usually sat, grinning him through mouthfuls of french toast. However, that morning she was obscured from view by the other Aphrodite kids, who were huddled tight and defensive enough to make even a Roman Cohort blush. Between the breaks in arms and curled hair, Jason could see that Piper was moody. Her eyes were darker and stormier than Annabeth's, taking on the same tempestuous grey as the clouds that covered the camp. Instead of an electric blue harpy feather and gold strings, her hair was braided with smaller grey feathers and black beads. She looked one part beautiful, three parts deadly, more so than Reyna, or even Annabeth ever had.

The air in the dining pavilion was so thick with tension, Jason thought he could probably slice it to ribbons with his gladius. There wasn't the usual sounds of breakfasty chit-chat; Leo had been scarce since the morning before and was around to lament the camp with food humor, there was no raucous laughter from the Hermes table, or even delicate giggles and gossip from the Aphrodite campers. It was as though the entire camp had felt the force of last night's argument. Jason could feel eyes on him. Everyone believed he was the bad guy, and he was beginning to believe it too. 

Jason was about to skulk off to find Leo, when Percy unceremoniously flumped onto the bench opposite him. The blood from his nose and lip had dried on his face and shirt. It looked like somebody had already decked him straight in the mouth. Without a word, he began to shovel spoonfuls of scrambled egg into his mouth, stopping only occasionally to breath and take gulps from his mug of strangely blue-tinged tea. Jason watched Percy for a minute, chin resting on his hand.

"Uh, bro, where've you been?"

Percy stopped inhaling food for a moment. "Changing my pants." 

"And you didn't think to change your shirt?" Jason gestured to the bloodstains. "The blood clashes with the orange horribly." 

"Nah, thought I looked a bit more  _devil-may-care._ " Percy gave him crooked grin before resuming the annihilation of his scrambled egg pile.

"Perce, you've survived two wars and saved Olympus, like, twice." 

"And he still looks like a dork!" Both the Stoll brothers crooned in unison, slapping Percy's back as they sat down, either side of him. 

"I concur!" Nico grinned, sliding into the seat beside Jason. Percy shot him a humorously pointed look.

"So dorky isn't your type? Take notes boys!" Percy snorted with laughter, and Travis wiggled his eyebrows at Nico, who flashed him an obscene gesture as he took a long drink of coffee (which was, Jason assumed, the same color as the Styx). 

Will Solace took a seat next to Jason, clutching two bowls of fruit salad. He slid one over to Nico with an stern look of  _you can't just have coffee for breakfast._ Nico glared at him, but took the bowl anyway, pushing away the black  _Worlds Greatest Necromancer_ mug, which Connor immediately stole and downed. 

"Hey!" Nico complained, but Jason poked him quiet. 

"Anyway, guys. Um, about last night..." Jason sighed, staring down at his half-eaten waffles. 

"Don't sweat it, man, we won't say anything about the sobbing..." Travis grinned.

"Or the bawling..." Connor smirked, glancing sidelong at his brother.

"Or the--" Nico threw a grape at Percy before he could finish. The grape dropped into Percy's tea with a sad  _plop._ Percy's crestfallen expression was enough to make Jason half-smile. Beside him, Will cackled.

"Thanks, guys," Jason muttered. "But the Piper thing? How am I gonna fix it?" 

"Duct tape!" Travis and Connor grinned.

"Duct tape?" 

"To fix the pieces of your broken heart after she inevitably falls for Frankie!" 

Jason probably looked shell shocked. Percy hooked a hand around Travis's neck, and slammed his face into the bowl of cereal in front of him. 

"They're kidding, bro. She'd never do that to you. It's just... some wires got crossed, that's all. It'll be fine in a few days." Percy rushed in with the reassurance while Travis wiped Lucky Charms off his face. 

"Yeah, man, we're just joking around... diffusing the tension, y'know? Sorry, Jace." Travis actually sounded sincere for once, and Connor nodded, looking about as sorry as he ever probably could.

"It's fine, guys, don't sweat it. It's cool." Jason tried a smile, but it probably didn't seem sincere in the slightest. He probably still looked like a kicked puppy. 

At some point during the conversation, Nico had slunk off, and he returned with a bear claw,  _swimming_ in a bowl of maple syrup, and an even bigger mug of coffee, this time that read _World's Least Jolly Italian_. Will sighed, exasperated.

"Dude, where are you getting these mugs?" Percy asked, examining the one that contained his blue tea.  _World's Worst Gardener._

"I dunno, Will makes them sometimes. I decorate them," Nico leaned closer to Percy and whispered, " _He makes me."_

Percy snorted. Jason chuckled dryly. The Stolls cackled. Will sighed and rested his head on the table. 

"Hey!" Lou-Ellen appeared so suddenly behind Travis, that even Nico jumped, spitting out his coffee. She hugged Travis so tight, Jason thought that he temporarily lost the ability to breathe. "Um, have you guys seen Katie?"

"Yeah," Percy winced. "She's with Piper." 

The whole table turned to look at the Aphrodite table. Jason did a double take. The huddle around Piper wasn't just Aphrodite kids, it was Katie, Annabeth, Clarisse, Tori, Sandy and Frankie, too. 

"Oh good Gods," Percy mumbled. "Oh hey, Frankie's there too! Fabulous!" 

"Great..." Jason sighed, getting up from the bench. "Just... great." 

And Jason walked off, toward his cabin to find his gladius.

 


	4. Chapter 4

 "Holy Hades!" Percy exclaimed, landing hard.

Percy, Nico and Will had joined him in the arena, armed. Rather Percy and Nico were armed, Will was clutching a first aid kit, obviously. There was still fifteen minutes before activities started, but Jason wanted to get a head start on hitting things. He was really giving Percy a going through, trying to vent all frustration with himself and the world. 

"Jason!" Nico shouted. "I think it's dead!" 

Percy was rolling around in the dust, groaning and clutching his arm. "Nope, no, I'm good, I'm... can someone help me up? 

"I'm sorry, bro. It's just... y'know." Jason dropped his sword, bending to help Percy up. 

"Yeah, hormones. Periods are a nightmare." Percy muttered, rubbing his bruised, bleeding arm. "Was that last hit really necessary? Like seriously? Medic!" 

Will Solace came bounding over, already waving a bandage. He grabbed Percy by the good arm and lead him over to the stands, where the Stoll brothers were quite literally rolling on the floor laughing. 

"I got it," Nico said with a half-hearted sigh. He pulled his hair back and hefted his stygian iron sword. Then, he whacked Jason so hard, he nearly lost balance. 

For a fifteen year old child of Hades, Nico was strong, and an unsurprisingly aggressive opponent. Jason struggled to keep parrying and blocking, and Nico didn't even look like he was even trying. He looked like he was waving a twig around. Jason feinted, just managing to catch Nico off balance. He lunged, smacking Nico in the face with the pommel of his sword. 

"Holy--" Nico fell back, dropping his sword and clutching his nose. "That was a dirty move." 

"Neeks, crap, sorry! Oh Gods, I'm sorry!" Jason rushed to Nico, whose face was leaking pint after pint of blood. How could someone so lanky and pale bleed so much? 

"Well, I mean it's not broken but wow does that sting!" His voice was rather muffled by the hand clamped firmly over his nose and mouth. He quickly added, "Don't tell Will!"

"Why can't you just accept that you're a complete and utter tosspot? And that you've lost a perfectly good  _Greek_? Instead of taking it out on your friends?" Frankie's whiny, venomous voice came from behind Jason. He turned to see Frankie and his cronies, Drew and Clarke, advancing on them slowly, grinning with malice. 

"Frankie, just back off." Jason growled, gripping his sword so tightly, his knuckled turned white. 

"Ooh, you gonna take it out on me too? Batter me with your denial?" 

"I swear to Zeus, if you don't back off--" 

"What'll you do? Smite me with you boom sticks?" Frankie tempted. The sky darkened, and thunder rippled across the valley. The son of Tyche looked visibly alarmed. "Ooh, I'm scared!" 

Lightning flashed and Frankie let out a little scream, curling in on himself. Drew and Clarke both screeched. When it became apparent that no one had been smitten, Frankie coughed and straightened up. 

"You scared now?" Jason snarled, raising his sword. Rage was boiling within him, his blood was crackling with electricity and he wanted desperately to fry Frankie. 

"Fry me, you glorified electrician, I dare you." Thunder rumbled again, but this time, there was no lightning. Instead, Jason ran at Frankie, sword level with his chest.

But, his gladius was met with the serrated edge of a bronze sword.

Piper McLean was holding it, her face angry and eyes flashing with the lightning that hadn't fried Frankie. Thunder cracked over head and Frankie recoiled. 

"What is wrong with you?" She demanded, squaring up to Jason. "Frankie's done nothing wrong." 

"He's done  _everything_ wrong!" Jason's voice shook with built up emotion. Their swords were still locked, and neither was backing down. "This whole thing is his fault!"

"It's his fault that you... broke Percy's arm, and-and Nico's nose?" 

Thunder rolled again, louder this time, carrying away the chorus of _'it's not broken!"_ from Percy, Nico and Will. 

"No! It's Frankie's fault that we fell out... he-he was putting words in my mouth!" 

The thunder kept rolling, and the air crackled with electricity. Percy and Nico had freed themselves from Will and were approaching with caution, hands on swords. 

"What are you going to do, Jason? Electrocute me?" Piper challenged, pushing Jason back. "Oh wait, you'd never do that. You're too much of a chivalrous... coward!" 

Jason lowered his sword, taking a step back. He looked defeated. He  _felt_ defeated. But, as Piper had called him a coward, there was a small flicker of doubt in her eyes. But it passed quickly and she raised her sword.

The pommel caught Jason right in the side of the head; there was a blinding flash of lightning and he collapsed, dazed. Piper staggered back into Annabeth's arms and the two of them ran off, leaving Jason in the dust. 

* * *

"Holy Hades!" Jason hissed as Will dabbed the cut on his forehead. 

"Dude, can I get some ambrosia over here?" Percy tugged on Will's shirt with his good arm. 

"No! You can't just rely on ambrosia to fix you up." Will swatted his hand away. Jason's left eye was half-closed, cloudy and the sunlight made his head hurt, which made being fixed up by the son of the god of the sun very, very painful.

"Oh come on!" Nico groaned, wiping his nose on his arm. "Thanks, Jace, by the way. I really needed that." 

"Gods, I'm sorry, Neeks. It's just this whole... Piper thing... it's got me all-"

"Jacked up?" Percy suggested as he attempted to one-arm-crawl behind Will, reaching carefully to grab the ambrosia square in Will's back pocket. 

"Yeah, jacked up..." Will jolted forward suddenly, catching Jason right in the eye with his fingers. "Mother of wolves!" 

"Hades! Jason, sorry!" Will rushed to apologize and Percy appeared from behind him, looking sheepish. 

"Sorry Will, but it had to be done." Percy smirked, biting off a corner of the ambrosia and falling back on the ground with a contented sigh. 

"Ooh, lemme get some of that action!" Nico hauled himself up and plucked the ambrosia square from Percy's hand. "Holy Hades, that's good!" 

"Oi!" Will protested, holding his hand out for the ambrosia. Nico bypassed the hand completely and instead made a huge show of sliding the ambrosia back into Will's pocket. Will went scarlet from ear to ear and Nico snorted. 

Nico had come so far from how he'd been last summer; his skin wasn't translucent, his eyes were bright, and he no longer literally looked like death. It was nice hearing him laugh and joke with the other campers, wearing a bright orange camp t-shirt that made him look ridiculously out of character and a little bit dorky. 

"Nice jeans, Solace." Nico winked, smirking as Will squeaked, flushing an even darker shade of adorable. 

"Uh, I- uh... gotta get-uh-" Will stuttered, twiddling his fingers. "Stuff." And then he ran off in the direction of the infirmary. 

"I think you broke him!" Percy laughed, using his braced arm to playfully punch Nico, which turned out to be a mistake. Both parties complained. 

"I don't think that lil puppy can handle such intense flirting," Travis sighed theatrically, folding his arms. Nico turned a light shade of pink.

"I, uh, I wasn't flirting..." He mumbled, doing his best  _I don't flirt, I'm too cool to flirt_ face. "A-and where did you guys come from?" 

"Changing the subject, huh..." Connor wiggled his eyebrows, hands on hips. "And we were getting the weapons rack because, y'know, it's activity time." 

"By the way guys, you got a little..." Travis pointed to all the dried blood on Jason, Nico and Percy. There was a scarily large amount of it. "Something." 

"Yeah, got it." Jason sighed, holding his hand to Connor, who pulled him up with only minimal complaint. "C'mon, let's go clean up." 

Percy and Nico begrudgingly followed him, with maximum complaint. Young campers were filing into the arena, ready for sword training, bright and unsuspecting of broken bones and blood. As the three of them dragged past, they squealed and shuddered. Travis and Connor were going to have a job trying to get them to hit each other now.


End file.
